The Kids Aren't Alright

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"The Kids Aren't Alright"
"The Kids Aren't Alright" cover
Single by The Offspring
Released August 31, 1999
Format CD
Genre Punk rock
Label Columbia Records
Producer(s) Dave Jerden
Chart positions
  • #11 (UK)
The Offspring singles chronology
"She's Got Issues" (1999) "The Kids Aren't Alright" (1999) "Totalimmortal" (2000)

"The Kids Aren't Alright" is the fourth single from The Offspring's album Americana. Its title is a reference to the Who song/documentary "The Kids Are Alright" (from My Generation).

The lyrics are inspired by a visit Dexter Holland made to his old neighborhood, Garden Grove in Orange County, California. Seeing that most of his friends met tragedy (car accident, nervous breakdown), he wrote the song, that details the ruined lives of a group of childhood friends. The four kids -- Jamie, Mark, Jay, and Brandon -- all had the potential to have extraordinary lives but each of them ending up throwing it away in a different fashion (Jamie got pregnant and dropped out of high school to raise children, Mark stays home playing guitar and smoking marijuana, Jay committed suicide, and Brandon "OD'D and died").

This fits well with the concept of the album: unpleasant realities of American life. In this case, children are promised they are growing up to a future of unlimited potential, but in reality, most of that potential is never realized.

The chord progression and lead guitar melody show a similarity to the song "String Bean Jean" by Belle and Sebastian.

The song is featured in the film The Faculty.

The music video, released a month before the CD single [1], received heavy airplay on MTV. Directed by Yariv Gaber, the video features a lot of computer-generated imagery and was nominated for Best Direction on the MTV Video Music Awards.

An instrumental version of the song is occasionally played by the Spirit of Troy Marching Band of the University of Southern California.

[edit] Track listing

  1. "The Kids Aren't Alright"
  2. "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy) (Live)"
  3. "Walla Walla (Live)"

Some versions include the video for "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)".

[edit] External links

The Offspring
Dexter HollandNoodlesGreg K.Atom Willard
Former members: James LiljaRon WeltyJosh Freese (unofficial)
Discography
Studio albums: The OffspringIgnitionSmashIxnay on the HombreAmericanaConspiracy of OneSplinter(Eighth Studio Album)
Extended plays: BaghdadClub MeA Piece of Americana
Other albums: Greatest Hits
Related articles
Epitaph RecordsNitro RecordsColumbia Records
In other languages